"Europe Central" By William T. Vollmann

"Europe Central" is a novel by William T. Vollmann that tells the intertwined stories of various characters from the Eastern Front of World War II. The novel explores the complexities of war, morality, and human nature through a series of interconnected stories that span from the rise of Nazi Germany to the end of the war.
The novel is divided into two main parts. The first part is set in the years leading up to the war and focuses on the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. The second part takes place during the war and focuses on the Eastern Front, where the bulk of the fighting between the Soviet Union and Germany took place.
One of the main characters of the novel is General Erwin von Witzleben, a German officer who becomes disillusioned with the Nazi regime and eventually joins the failed plot to assassinate Hitler. Another central character is General Andrei Vlasov, a Soviet officer who defects to the Germans and forms the Russian Liberation Army, a group of Soviet soldiers who fought for the Germans in the hope of freeing their country from Stalin's rule.
Other characters include a Russian artist who is forced to create propaganda for the Nazis, a German soldier who becomes a war criminal, a Soviet sniper who becomes a hero, and a group of German and Soviet prisoners of war who are forced to work together.
Throughout the novel, the characters' moral compass is tested as they struggle with the atrocities of war and their own personal beliefs. The novel delves into the complex motivations of those who fought on both sides of the war, showing that there are no easy answers or clear-cut heroes and villains.
The novel ultimately asks the question of whether it is possible to maintain one's humanity in the face of such atrocities. It presents a nuanced and morally ambiguous view of the war, highlighting the gray areas and showing that there is no easy answer to the question of who is right and who is wrong.
"Europe Central" is a complex and thought-provoking novel that challenges readers to consider the complexities of war and human nature. It is a powerful exploration of the ways in which people are affected by the events of history and the choices they make in response to them.